Readers, I've got some bad news to break to you today: I'll be leaving The Herald at the end of the month. They're revamping food coverage for GO! Magazine — you can expect to see some new reviewers joining the ranks in the months ahead, but I won't be one of them.

Don't worry, I won't be going away completely. I'll continue to be active in our local food community — you'll still find my reviews on my blog and you can follow my foodie follies via Twitter.

With my impending departure, I thought it timely to field readers' burning questions, giving you a chance to pick my brain about restaurant recommendations.

Many parents struggle to find a place for a nice dinner out that can accommodate young children. But fear not, you can find a restaurant that's kid-friendly without ditching your grown-up gourmet sensibilities.

Both Lalla Grill (Monterey) and Red House Cafe (Pacific Grove) offer selections suited for kids' picky palates while ensuring the adults have a good meal too.

At il Vecchio (Pacific Grove), grown-ups can enjoy some of the best Italian food in town, with a number of pastas perfect for kids. Don't forget about their Family Dinner served on Tuesdays between 5:00 and 6:30.

Enjoy a hearty and filling four-course, family-style dinner for $15 per person — and just $8 for kids. (Reservations recommended.)

For a fancier night out, Estéban Restaurant (Monterey) is a great choice. Parents will find a menu of tasty small bites — the bacon-wrapped dates are my favorite — along with kid-friendly bites like mac and cheese or albondigas (meatballs) for Junior.

· Where can I get a good grilled cheese?

— Kris I., Aptos

When I was a kid, I remember getting a gooey grilled cheese sandwich and a big bowl of tomato soup at grandma's when the weather turned chilly. My palate may be more refined these days, but there's nothing like this classic combination to fight off the brisk breeze of fall.

Where do I turn these days when I've got a craving for a grilled cheese?

Point Pinos Grill (Pacific Grove) sits at the top of the list. Theirs is made with three cheeses — Fontina, Gruyere and white cheddar — on grilled sourdough bread. It's served with a petit portion of heirloom tomato soup.

When I asked my Twitter followers for their favorite spot for a grilled cheese fix, @pinkflamingo63 reminded me that Carmel Belle (Carmel) offers a cheddar and bacon sandwich.

If you're looking for more pork-infused decadence, head over to the Cannery Row Brewing Company (Monterey) for an indulgent, greasy grilled cheese made with bacon and tomato. (I usually substitute caramelized onions for tomato and add some triple truffle fries for good measure.)

· Got any recommendations for a vegan, or at least vegetarian, dinner?

— Oscar G., Monterey

These days, I'm a carnivore to the core, but for a while — 10 years, in fact — I didn't eat red meat. I certainly sympathize with diners with dietary restrictions, especially given the rather limited number of wholly vegetarian kitchens here in town.

The most notable vegetarian restaurants have limited hours — Julia's (Pacific Grove) is only open Friday through Sunday and Happy Girl Kitchen (Pacific Grove) is limited to lunch and the occasional pop-up dinner.

Off the beaten path in The Barnyard shopping center, the menu at Mon Chay (Carmel) is exclusively vegetarian, offering everything from the pho to noodle bowls with meat substitutes.

Most diners have to navigate a sea of burgers and bacon to find veggie-friendly options at local restaurants. Where should they turn?

Hula's Island Grill and Tiki Bar (Monterey) is popular among local vegetarians and vegans. Hula's has a dedicated vegetarian menu — and many of those options can be made vegan, if requested.

Many of the pasta dishes at il Vecchio (Pacific Grove) are vegetarian and the spaghetti al pomodoro can be made vegan, if requested. There's also a vegan soup on the daily dinner menu that can be paired with salads and grilled veggie sides — hold the cheese — for a hearty vegan dinner.

Many Thai restaurants can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diners, offering tofu in place of meat. (My favorite Thai restaurant? Krua Thai in Monterey — it gets solid support from carnivores and herbivores alike.)

· @offthemenu831 Do you know when/if Big Night Bistro in PG will be reopening? Thx!

— @KennedyBrigid

For months, foodies have been awaiting news on the reopening of Favaloro's Big Night Bistro, an icon in downtown Pacific Grove that shuttered after a nasty fire. Reconstruction is still under way, but this week, the bistro's casual lunchtime spinoff — Café Ariana — opened for business.

The café's menu includes soups, salads, panini and pizza and boasts several sweet treats too — including a freezer case for fresh-scooped gelato.

My friend and I dropped in for lunch on opening day. Sure, some things were a little rough around the edges, but spirits were high and made up for the (very minor) hiccups along the way.

We sampled the arugula and pear salad ($7.95), the Parmigiana pizza — eggplant parm on a pizza ($9.95) — and a couple of panini.

It's refreshing to watch Favaloro's Big Night Bistro rise from the ashes with the opening of Café Ariana. Hopefully the bistro will be making its encore soon, too.

Just because my time with The Herald is coming to a close doesn't mean the fun has to stop! I'm happy to continue to answer your questions via email (offthemenublog@gmail.com) or Twitter (@offthemenu831).

Raul N. combines social media with the art of dining out. He has been a member of Yelp Elite since 2010 and has written more than 400 reviews for Yelp. The 28-year-old Pacific Grove resident also writes a food blog and shares his dining exploits and food finds on Twitter, Tumblr and Foodspotting.